A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace Chapter 1122: She Wants Out!

The censors faced a formidable adversary, each prostrating themselves and uttering desperate pleas.

An uproar filled the main hall, as chaotic and noisy as a bustling marketplace.

Not only was Zhao Junyao afflicted with a splitting headache, but even the assembled military generals appeared utterly overwhelmed.

Heavens above, how could this stubborn assembly of old men be silenced?

Zhao Junyao took pleasure in the generals' frantic reactions.

A secret elation surged within him: Argue! Continue your arguments!

Unclear how much time had elapsed.

The generals could endure it no longer and finally fell to their knees, weeping with tearful desperation.

"Emperor! The frontline is fraught with too much danger; you absolutely cannot personally lead the troops into battle!"

"The nation's most crucial affairs should, by their very nature, be decided by the Emperor!"

"Whomever the Emperor favors, he may appoint; we, your loyal subjects, are willing to obey any command!"

The others gradually regained their senses and also knelt to implore.

Zhao Junyao was pleased with their response, feeling a profound sense of relief wash over him.

He no longer pressed his point, quickly conceding while the opportunity was opportune.

...

As May drew to a close in the fourteenth year of Jiayuan, Western Xia officially initiated hostilities against Great Chu.

The Emperor issued a decree:

Appointing Minister of War High Official Yang He as the Grand Marshal for the Western Expedition, commanding one hundred thousand troops to reinforce the northwestern frontier.

Concurrently, Yang Chenyi was designated as General Mingwei, leading a thousand elite soldiers to aid in the offensive.

In addition to the father and son duo from the Yang family.

Zhao Junyao also selected two seasoned generals to serve as Left Commander-in-Chief and Right Commander-in-Chief.

He handpicked a dozen renowned strategists from the imperial court to act as military advisors.

Finally.

He permitted these principal generals to select capable deputies for themselves.

The two Commanders and the Chief Marshal all chose their most trusted advisors and deputies.

Yang Chenyi deliberated for a considerable period before deciding to bring Tiger, Rat, Monster, and others along.

He was not lacking in skilled warriors readily available.

However, warfare encompasses not only skill but also a sufficient measure of shamelessness and cunning!

These rough men, who had grown up in the barracks, were straightforward and lacked experience in certain matters.

It was acceptable to have them as part of the contingent, but not suitable for positions of close confidantes.

Tiger was presently serving within the Ministry of War.

Based solely on his own merits, he had ascended to the rank of a sixth-rank officer.

Numerous talented individuals existed within the army, and many scions of noble families were directly placed into various positions.

Ordinary individuals without influential connections could only serve as common soldiers.

Attaining even a minor leadership role was exceedingly difficult, let alone securing an actual sixth-rank official post.

This demonstrated the formidable capabilities and exceptional talents of this gentleman.

Whenever he was deployed, he would undoubtedly prove to be a warrior capable of fighting against a hundred foes.

Monster and Rat, lacking any notable reputation, also held no significant positions.

Xia Tingfeng, furthermore, had no need for aides.

Yang Chenyi kept them at the Yang Mansion, occasionally seeking their counsel and tasking them with gathering intelligence.

It could not be denied.

While these two might lack outwardly presentable talents, their innate potential was undeniably high.

For underhanded dealings, *cough cough*!

Yang Chenyi felt exceedingly pleased; perhaps they might yet prove useful.

The army was slated to commence its march directly from the Capital City Barracks at the dawn of June.

...

At this juncture in Western Xia.

A series of torrential downpours effectively washed away the lingering scent of bloodshed within the palace walls.

Once the rain subsided, Hai Xiangjin (Prince Jin) proceeded to hold a grand and ostentatious enthronement ceremony for himself.

While the populace struggled to procure sufficient food, he indulged in extravagant displays for the sake of his own vanity.

The Imperial Palace and the areas immediately surrounding it had transformed into two starkly contrasting worlds.

One was bathed in sunlight, magnificent and grand, with flowers in full, vibrant bloom!

The other was a scene of misery and desolation, where starving individuals were ubiquitous, leaving the common people in a state of profound distress.

And even more dire than the plight of those outside the palace were the circumstances of Hai Zhentian and his two siblings.

The previously deposed King of Western Xia, Hai Zhentian, was incarcerated in the Imperial Prison under a fabricated charge.

Hai Yue and Hai Tang were confined in two separate locations.

The three were kept far apart, completely unaware of each other's whereabouts, and utterly incapable of meeting.

What was even more unfortunate.

When they were apprehended, only Hai Tang retained full consciousness.

Hai Zhentian was exceedingly frail, his coughing fits so severe that his face turned a deep purple, giving the impression he was about to expel his very lungs.

Hai Yue's condition was lamentable, his health deteriorating even further than that of his father.

Hai Tang stood in the dimly lit prison cell, drawing her arms around herself.

Gazing at the solitary beam of light piercing through the small, palm-sized window, she felt an overwhelming sense of despair.

'I wonder if the Emperor of Great Chu has yet received our plea for aid; is this truly the hand of fate?'

'Are the heavens determined to sever the ties of flesh and blood between our trio?'

She lowered her head, consumed by guilt, believing the entirety of the blame rested upon her shoulders.

If only she had not been so impetuous and stubborn.

If only she hadn’t been so stubbornly willful in the past.

Had she agreed from the start to the marriage her father had arranged with a powerful and capable Prince Consort, this dire situation would never have come to pass.

In former times, a marriage devoid of love, based purely on worldly interests, was something she could not accept.

But now, she could only blame herself for her past choices.

Why had she refused it then?

If given another chance, she would unquestionably accept the man her father had chosen for her.

All for the sake of ensuring her father and brother's well-being!

Her father had sacrificed so much for her throughout his life, only to end up in such a pitiful state.

She felt immense hatred! She hated herself intensely!

Hai Tang, who hadn't shed a single tear in years, now wept uncontrollably like a small child within the confines of the cell.

This woman, once possessing a spirit more valiant than any man, now appeared like a terrified rabbit, clutching herself as she sobbed without restraint.

"Xia Tingfeng!"

"Where in the world are you?"

"I vowed never to see your face again in this lifetime, yet it seems I..."

"I am so sorry!"

In moments of utter vulnerability, helplessness, and desperation, emotions become fragile and are most difficult to conceal.

Hai Tang's mind was a turbulent storm, her reason completely lost.

She didn't even understand her own thoughts or the words tumbling from her lips.

Holding herself tightly, she gradually succumbed to sleep on the unforgiving, cold ground.

Who knows how much time had elapsed?

As the darkness receded, the sun began to rise.

At one point, a small shaft of sunlight pierced through the tiny window, landing directly upon her eyes.

She stirred slightly, a frown creasing her brow as she woke.

Instinctively raising her hand to shield her eyes from the light, she inadvertently noticed a small, almost imperceptible crack near the edges of the palm-sized window.

Her heart gave a sudden leap, and she peered closer.

An irrepressible surge of joy filled her; hope ignited within her heart in an instant.

"There's a way out through here!!"

Retrieving a small dagger she always kept concealed, she gently began to scrape away at the wall surrounding the window.

"The soil is so soft!"

Having been exposed to the elements for years, the walls here had begun to decay and were covered in mold.

The mud walls crumbled easily, and a light scraping with the dagger peeled away layers effortlessly.

Hai Tang's eyes gleamed with renewed determination; she immediately resumed scraping with the dagger.

She had to escape!

She absolutely had to get out!

In this life, she felt indebted to no one except her father and her brother.

Her own life was disposable, but her father and brother had to continue living!

Everything was not yet lost!

She would not surrender; she vowed to never give up!

Despite the sweat streaming down her face, Hai Tang remained oblivious to her own exertion.

Driven by her intense will to survive, a thought struck her.

There was a potential hazard here, meant for someone else!

If he were to come searching for her, wouldn't he be walking into danger?

Since she owed no one, naturally, she could not be indebted to him either!

In this existence, they owed each other nothing, perhaps meaning they wouldn't cross paths in the next life.

One whom she did not belong with, she never dared to yearn for.

Given that there was no destined path or possibility for them to be together,

then it was best not to see each other, not to encounter one another, and to remain well in our separate corners of the world!

...

When a person holds onto faith, no matter the extremity of the circumstances, they can ultimately discover a sliver of hope amidst the ruins.

After three long days and nights of clandestine and painstaking effort,

Hai Tang finally managed to escape on a moonlit, windy night.